Murder suspect: Fatal stabbing followed argument over last beer

Published: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 11:34 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 11:34 a.m.

Murder defendant Daniel Trent said he stabbed his drinking companion and the man’s dog following an argument over the last can of beer.

“He didn’t want to share it. He wanted it for himself,” said Trent, of 5460 SE 30th Place, Unit C, in Ocala, as he sat on an aluminum bench at the Marion County Jail Tuesday morning. Trent said the killing was in self defense during a fight after the other man cut his hand with a kitchen knife.

Trent said he stabbed the dog -- a brown-and-white beagle -- because the dying man asked him to.

He was arrested Monday on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old Mark Durham. The stabbing occurred at Trent’s home in Greenfields Apartments overnight.

The two had been drinking Natural Ice, and Trent said they first drank a 24-pack purchased at a nearby store. Then, Trent said, they went back and got an 18-pack of Natural Ice. They both “chipped in,” he said, to buy the beer.

As they came to the last can of beer, Durham claimed it. Trent said they argued and he told Durham to go home.

Durham, he said, refused and instead went into the kitchen, grabbed a small knife and cut him on the side of his index finger. Trent said they struggled for the knife and he was able to take it away from Durham.

Then, he said, “I stabbed him.” Trent said he stabbed Durham twice, once in the stomach and once in the chest.

“I felt this was self defense because he attacked me,” Trent said, showing the open wound on the side of his right index finger.

On Tuesday morning, Trent made his first court appearance via closed circuit video before Judge Sarah Ritteroff Williams. She ordered him held without bond due to the nature of the crime and appointed a public defender to represent him.

Trent’s next court date is June 17.

Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies Abigail Rodriguez and David Hancock went to Trent’s apartment at Greenfields Apartments, according to a report prepared by Detective Mike Dodd. In the porch area, they saw Trent with a representative from the Universal Life Care Advocate Center. The agency official had seen blood -- and the dead dog -- and called the Sheriff’s Office.

Trent told the deputies he had been stabbed the night before.

Deputies said the door was ajar, and Hancock saw what appeared to be blood on the floor. Inside, they found the brown-and-white beagle dead on the living room floor, and Durham’s body, which was on the floor in the hallway.

The deputies detained Trent, who told them he didn’t do it and that he needed to go to The Centers, a mental health facility.

Rodriguez and Hancock called for assistance.

Dodd and several other detectives examined the scene. Later, they took Trent in for questioning. Dodd said he admitted stabbing Durham. He was then arrested and taken to the jail.

Trent told the Star-Banner that Universal Life Care Advocate Center is an agency that assists disabled adults in getting a job, maintaining a residence and paying their bills. Trent said he worked as a cleaning captain at KFC.

The center, he said, was instrumental in his getting the apartment, where he has lived since December.

Around the time, he met Durham, who he said was homeless, at a store where they were purchasing beer. They became friends, Trent said, and Durham would come by his apartment and “hang out.”

On occasion, he said, Durham would spend the night and they would drink. That was the situation Sunday night.

“I shouldn’t (have) got out of control,” Trent said. “I should’ve stopped drinking.” He said he doesn’t believe he has a bad temper. He blames Durham’s death on alcohol and the argument they had.

When Durham was dying, Trent said, he told him to stab the dog, which had been with him for since they met. Trent said he stabbed the animal once in the stomach.

Later, Trent said, he called the advocate center to tell them he was injured, and an official showed up to check on him.

<p>Murder defendant Daniel Trent said he stabbed his drinking companion and the man's dog following an argument over the last can of beer.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>“He didn't want to share it. He wanted it for himself,” said Trent, of 5460 SE 30th Place, Unit C, in Ocala, as he sat on an aluminum bench at the Marion County Jail Tuesday morning. Trent said the killing was in self defense during a fight after the other man cut his hand with a kitchen knife.</p><p>Trent said he stabbed the dog -- a brown-and-white beagle -- because the dying man asked him to.</p><p>He was arrested Monday on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old Mark Durham. The stabbing occurred at Trent's home in Greenfields Apartments overnight.</p><p>The two had been drinking Natural Ice, and Trent said they first drank a 24-pack purchased at a nearby store. Then, Trent said, they went back and got an 18-pack of Natural Ice. They both “chipped in,” he said, to buy the beer.</p><p>As they came to the last can of beer, Durham claimed it. Trent said they argued and he told Durham to go home.</p><p>Durham, he said, refused and instead went into the kitchen, grabbed a small knife and cut him on the side of his index finger. Trent said they struggled for the knife and he was able to take it away from Durham.</p><p>Then, he said, “I stabbed him.” Trent said he stabbed Durham twice, once in the stomach and once in the chest.</p><p>“I felt this was self defense because he attacked me,” Trent said, showing the open wound on the side of his right index finger.</p><p>On Tuesday morning, Trent made his first court appearance via closed circuit video before Judge Sarah Ritteroff Williams. She ordered him held without bond due to the nature of the crime and appointed a public defender to represent him.</p><p>Trent's next court date is June 17.</p><p>Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies Abigail Rodriguez and David Hancock went to Trent's apartment at Greenfields Apartments, according to a report prepared by Detective Mike Dodd. In the porch area, they saw Trent with a representative from the Universal Life Care Advocate Center. The agency official had seen blood -- and the dead dog -- and called the Sheriff's Office.</p><p>Trent told the deputies he had been stabbed the night before.</p><p>Deputies said the door was ajar, and Hancock saw what appeared to be blood on the floor. Inside, they found the brown-and-white beagle dead on the living room floor, and Durham's body, which was on the floor in the hallway.</p><p>The deputies detained Trent, who told them he didn't do it and that he needed to go to The Centers, a mental health facility.</p><p>Rodriguez and Hancock called for assistance.</p><p>Dodd and several other detectives examined the scene. Later, they took Trent in for questioning. Dodd said he admitted stabbing Durham. He was then arrested and taken to the jail.</p><p>Trent told the Star-Banner that Universal Life Care Advocate Center is an agency that assists disabled adults in getting a job, maintaining a residence and paying their bills. Trent said he worked as a cleaning captain at KFC.</p><p>The center, he said, was instrumental in his getting the apartment, where he has lived since December.</p><p>Around the time, he met Durham, who he said was homeless, at a store where they were purchasing beer. They became friends, Trent said, and Durham would come by his apartment and “hang out.”</p><p>On occasion, he said, Durham would spend the night and they would drink. That was the situation Sunday night.</p><p>“I shouldn't (have) got out of control,” Trent said. “I should've stopped drinking.” He said he doesn't believe he has a bad temper. He blames Durham's death on alcohol and the argument they had.</p><p>When Durham was dying, Trent said, he told him to stab the dog, which had been with him for since they met. Trent said he stabbed the animal once in the stomach.</p><p>Later, Trent said, he called the advocate center to tell them he was injured, and an official showed up to check on him.</p>